folely on the authority by which they were revealed.

THOSE who reject revelation on the ground of its being fuperfluous, do not, it is prefumed, rate the powers of the human understanding fo highly, as to imagine that no limits are affigned to its progrefs: every hour's experience too fenfibly confutes any fuch pretenfion. The fubjects with which men are continually converfant, and which they have means of fubmitting to the most rigorous examination, are yet but superficially known. There is fomething that fo completely baffles all refearches, pursued beyond a certain point, as even to preclude conjecture. And shall that intellect, which forms only confufed ideas of its own functions, and of the material frame to which it is united, be thought capable of comprehending the universal system, and of fathoming the purposes of omnipotence? But, if

the

the affertion means only that whatever is neceffary to be known may be discovered without fupernatural affiftance, and that confequently no fuch affiftance has been given; this implies that there are alfo fecret things belonging to God, with which it is not neceffary that man, in his prefent state at least, should be acquainted.

On the other hand, to admit that a revelation has been given, is tacitly to acknow, ledge the natural infufficiency of the human faculties; all unneceffary interpofitions being fo contrary to the evident plan of the divine administration, that the objection of those who deny the authenticity of fcripture on this ground can only be fet afide, by fhewing that the affertion on which it is founded is untrue,

BUT the admonition of the text, it may be faid, addreffed to a people who lived confeffedly

confeffedly under a law of types and figures, and beheld, as through a glass, darkly; is not applicable to chriftians, who fee thofe things which many prophets and righteous men defired to fee, and faw them not; whom the day fpring from on high hath vifited, and on whom the fun of righteoufness is rifen. The question therefore with believers is, whether that fuller communication of divine truth, which has been vouchfafed to mankind in the new teftament, enables them to investigate it in all its circumstances, and to its utmost extent.

THE analogy discoverable between the fyftem of nature, and that of revealed religion, has been alleged as a ftrong presumption that they are derived from the fame author. Of the various inftances into which this analogy branches, the cafe under confideration is one. That multiplicity of ingenious inventions, by which fociety in

its prefent improved state is furnished, not only with the neceffaries, but with the conveniencies and elegancies of life, in fo ample a manner, that imagination can fcarce devise a farther refinement on them, teftifies how graciously man's faculties are adapted to explore the properties of matter, fo far as a knowledge of them can contribute to his ufe or enjoyment. The impenetrable obfcurity, in which others of its qualities are enveloped, fhews that no indulgence was intended to what, within his prefent fphere of action, is probably a vain curiofity.

A SIMILAR procedure of providence is obfervable in our fpiritual concerns. This life is a state of moral probation, and the proper bufinefs of mankind, during their continuance in it, is. to acquire fuch ideas of their relation to God and to each other, and to form fuch habits of action, correfpondent to these relations, as may qualify

them hereafter for employments of a more exalted kind, and of more extenfive utility. In the profecution of thefe fubjects, they have been affifted, from time to time, by communications from above, fuited to the exigencies of the feveral periods at which they took place. (Why thefe communications were gradual, why they were not more explicit, makes no part of the prefent difcuffion; though, confiftently with that caution and respect which fhould accompany all attempts to explain the divine œconomy, a rational account of it might be given.) Finally, the Meffiah, in whom all the counfels of God were compleat, appeared in the world, and having promulgated a religion, which in due time was to overfpread the earth, bequeathed to mankind. the everlasting Gospel, the ultimate declaration of the will and gracious purposes of his Father.